Manchester United Influencers Pick Their Top Summer Transfer Targets

Transfer season is upon us, and Manchester United can reasonably expect to be busy.

After manager Jose Mourinho oversaw a UEFA Europa League triumph, he took a well-earned break from football. At a Formula One event in late May, he told Sky Sports that executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward had known his transfer targets since March and was in charge of pursuing them.

But of the many players linked to the club, who should United be most keen on? Bleacher Report asked journalists, YouTubers and bloggers covering the Red Devils which player should be top of Mourinho's list.

Adam McKola of Full Time Devils, a YouTube channel that covers the club, plumped for Everton's Romelu Lukaku: "He replaces Zlatan [Ibrahimovic], he's proven in the Premier League, still has room for improvement and is different to [Marcus] Rashford and [Anthony] Martial."

Full Time Devils colleague Sam Homewood agreed: "As Sir Alex Ferguson once said, 'attack wins you games; defence wins you titles.' All true, but our defensive record was excellent last season, and we still came sixth because we couldn't score any goals.

"Lukaku is as close to guaranteed Premier League goals as you can get. He might not be as exciting as the other names floating around, but he knows how to score, and that's what we need. We also need another brilliant central midfielder too, but I had to pick one, so I've gone with goals."

Richard Cann, co-host of the Red Voices podcast, also plumped for Lukaku: "Given that the manager has demonstrated that he can make decent defenders defend very well, I think United's top transfer target should be a striker. Mourinho has to replace the goals of Ibrahimovic, and Lukaku fits the bill as a classic Mourinho-type centre-forward: mobile, powerful and prolific."

Lukaku recently told Gary Cotterill of Sky Sports News HQ that he has reached "an agreement" with a Premier League club. It will be fascinating to see how it works out should that end up being United. 

Others agreed that attack was where United most needed strengthening but plumped for different options.

David O'Brien, better known on Twitter and YouTube as Statman Dave, thinks Torino's Andrea Belotti is the one to pursue: "[Belotti is] a powerful, barrel-chested centre-forward perfectly suited to Premier League football. Only Southampton crossed the ball more per game than United last season, and Belotti, scored 58 per cent of his 26 Serie A goals from crosses. A match made in heaven."

Alex Porter, who covers both United and Manchester City for the Manchester Evening News, said: "He has said he is happy at Real Madrid, but with Antoine Griezmann off the table, United should do everything they can to change Gareth Bale's mind.

"He isn't first choice at the Santiago Bernabeu, United have the money to make the deal happen and should be able to convince him that trophies are going to be won at Old Trafford in the seasons to come.

"United lacked goals last season, and he would add an extra dimension to the options Mourinho has available—as well as being proven in the Premier League. Plus, his experience of winning titles can only help United's younger players to grow."

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Bale's arrival would set hearts racing in a way Lukaku's perhaps would not, but there are concerns about his recent injury record, particularly given it is his ankle with which he has struggled. Ankle injuries are notoriously difficult to manage. However, if the club's doctors are confident all is well in that department, United could look to Bale to try to repeat the success of their last Welsh winger.

Kris Voakes, United correspondent for Goal, took a different angle.

"He might be 29 and somebody who's never played Premier League football before, but Radja Nainggolan could be a great addition in midfield," Voakes said. "United have often lacked a really forceful presence in the middle who can provide steel both with and without the ball, and having watched Nainggolan's rise from Piacenza to Roma via Cagliari, he could be just the foil Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera need to go ahead and play their natural games."

In truth, getting the best out of Pogba and Herrera should be a priority this summer given they were two of the club's best performers last time out. With Martial and Rashford already on the books, perhaps the centre-forward position could be left on hold, with the youngsters being given a chance.

Ed Barker of United Rant thinks they should be given a third prong to work alongside them in the form of AS Monaco's Kylian Mbappe: "Although the hype around the teenager is obviously at its peak, he's the real deal. United suffered most in the attacking third last season, and Mbappe would add unpredictability, pace and outstanding finishing. An attack that includes Mbappe, Rashford and Martial—yes, please!"

Scott Patterson of Republik of Mancunia and ESPN FC agrees: "Mbappe is the dream, but I don't know how we would be able to convince him to come to us over Real Madrid. He would cost a fortune. But what a player. I'd love to see him at United next season."

The young Monaco man will certainly be the target of plenty of attention from Europe's elite clubs. His remarkable performances in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League last season marked him out as a stunning prospect. As Barker intimated, his profile would slot perfectly alongside what United already have in that department, though Patterson's concerns about viability are well-founded.

Patterson provided a potentially more attainable alternative: "[Alvaro] Morata is a good shout. He's young, scores a lot of goals, isn't getting regular game time at Real Madrid and he loves Jose Mourinho for giving him his debut.

"Raphael Varane would be a quality signing too and a great partner for Eric Bailly. The only worry is if we try to do any business with Real Madrid, it'd have to involve David De Gea, so if it's one or the other, I'd rather us keep hold of our goalkeeper."

And former blogger and prominent United tweeter @ManUtd24 agrees: "I am really feeling Morata. Strange, I know, because I wondered, from a distance, why he was so highly rated ahead of the European Championship last year—basically why he'd apparently cost so much.

"Now, though, it's difficult to look past his goal haul in the season just gone, especially if you factor in minutes played, which goes along nicely with the existing idea that he is a big-game player. United need goals in their team, and Morata looks to have added that to his game.

"Also Anthony Martial—United need to bring him back. Where did he go by the way?"

Holding on to De Gea could be as important as any potential new signing. While the Red Devils relied less on the Spain international's brilliance in 2016/17 than they had in the three seasons before that, most great teams have a great goalkeeper. Given United already have one in house, they would surely hope to retain his services as they try to bring the rest of the team up to his level.

Patterson mentioned United's defence and added a final note about that area of the pitch. "I'd like to see Michael Keane come back, but I'm not sure he's ready to be our first choice. He should be an option and a signing who should allow Phil Jones and/or Chris Smalling to leave."

Journalist Sam Pilger also thought defence was where United should concentrate their attentions first: "After spending most of last summer negotiating with Juventus for Paul Pogba, United should once again return to Turin. This time for Leonardo Bonucci.

"Bailly needs a commanding and experienced partner, and while Marcos Rojo, Smalling, Daley Blind and Jones are good, the Italian defender is a lot better and would immediately improve United's defence."

Bonucci might just be the best centre-back anywhere in the game. His signing would represent a huge coup, and it would be fascinating to see whether United would be prepared to make the kind of negotiations they did for Pogba for a considerably less marketable name.

United blogger Elijah Sofoluke set out a platform that would cover all United's transfer needs.

"I think Morata, James [Rodriguez], [Renato] Sanches, Fabinho, [Victor] Lindelof and [Serge] Aurier should be our top targets this summer," he said. "Midfielders to allow Pogba to do what he does best, defenders to partner Bailly and an upgrade on [Antonio] Valencia in the final third. Then, most importantly, attackers who give us some dynamism and penetration."

When pressed on which of those he would prioritise, Sofoluke plumped for Fabinho—the multitalented Brazilian spent much of his career at full-back but did a sterling job in Monaco's midfield last season and could hold down the Michael Carrick role in United's squad as the Englishman enters the twilight of his career.

It is interesting to note defence, midfield and attack were all separately identified by those questioned as United's highest-priority areas for improvement. That offers some insight into how far off the elite level United influencers feel the squad is. Other than goalkeeper, no area of the pitch was left untouched by their suggestions.

But we will leave the last word to the three people behind the comedic blog Bifurcated United.

Their replies were "John Terry, imho." "We should buy the best player." And somewhat surprisingly: "Bale should be the top priority, as the pacy inside forward can play either wing and therefore would free up Martial, Rashford and Mkhitaryan to play more in their preferred positions through the middle. Is that 150 words yet?"

That seems as good a note as any on which to end. If United manage to sign even half of the targets influencers think they should, it will be a good summer at Old Trafford.

Quotations obtained firsthand except where otherwise stated.